Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Hundreds of residents in Kwara South have fled their ancestral homes in droves following a surge in kidnapping incidents that has plunged the region into fear and uncertainty. The worst-hit areas include Sabe, Ologomo, Alabe, and Babanla communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area, where suspected armed bandits have turned once peaceful villages into danger zones. A video obtained by PLATFORM TIMES shows a distraught resident, Ganiyu Babatunde, appealing to the Kwara State Government for urgent intervention. “Since morning, I have seen more than 10 vehicles packed with people leaving their communities. At Oke-Ode garage, there is no vehicle left —…

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced the deportation of no fewer than 192 foreign nationals convicted of internet fraud in the country. The first batch of 42 convicts was airlifted on Sunday, while more deportations are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, PLATFORM TIMES gathered. The development followed a December 2024 operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which led to the arrest of 792 suspected members of a cybercrime syndicate in Victoria Island, Lagos. The syndicate, made up largely of foreigners, was said to have converted a seven-storey building into a training centre where Nigerians were tutored…

Real estate consultant, Comfort Emmanson, has opened up for the first time since her humiliating ordeal with Ibom Air, narrating how a faulty mobile phone led to her arrest, detention at Kirikiri Correctional Centre, and a lifetime flight ban that has now become a national controversy. Emmanson, who regained freedom last Wednesday after an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court discharged her following the withdrawal of a five-count charge by the police, released an emotional video at the weekend recounting her traumatic experience. Visibly shaken, she expressed gratitude to Nigerians who rallied in her defence while she was behind bars. “For a commoner…

Nigerians in the diaspora and Canadians on Sunday thronged Ontario, Canada, for the grand opening of the 2025 Solteque Canada Trade Mission, a five-day cultural and business showcase designed to deepen ties between Nigeria and international markets. The trade mission, which runs until Friday, August 22, is holding at the Emerald Banquet Hall, Etobicoke, Ontario, and features exhibitions in cultural fabrics, real estate, African cuisine, financial services, and business networking. Convener of the programme, Chief Olawale Olaleye, the Bobawoga of Orílé-Ìtẹsi, said the annual gathering had become a unifying platform for Nigerians abroad to engage global partners while celebrating their…

Daud Olatunji  A special investigation by PLATFORM TIMES has revealed that about 80 per cent of eligible voters in Remo Federal Constituency stayed away from the last by-election in Ogun State, leaving only one-fifth of the electorate to cast their ballots. The by-election, held on Saturday across Sagamu, Ikenne, and Remo North Local Government Areas, followed the death of the late Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Adewunmi Onanuga, who passed away in a London hospital in January 2025. Despite being one of 12 states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted by-elections, the Ogun exercise…

A decorated Nigerian war veteran, Air Commodore Abayomi Balogun (retd.), has cried out after officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) demolished his Abuja lounge and restaurant without prior notice, an action he described as devastating. Balogun, once celebrated as one of the Nigerian Air Force’s finest fighter pilots, said the demolition, which took place in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, left him in shock as properties worth millions of naira were destroyed while scavengers looted what was left. Speaking to journalists after the incident, the retired officer said officials of the FCDA Development Control stormed the premises, marked the…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that Nigeria’s 2027 general elections may be thrown into jeopardy if the country fails to curb electoral fraud, violence, and widespread irregularities allegedly orchestrated under the current administration. The party, in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, attributed its poor performance in Saturday’s by-elections across parts of the country to what it described as “violence, vote buying and collusion of state actors” during the polls. Abdullahi said reports from several states painted a disturbing picture of ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and large-scale disruptions that led to…

Yusroh Lawal The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Ogun State chapter, has raised concerns over the mounting infrastructure deficit in parts of the state, warning that rapid industrialisation is fuelling population growth beyond available social amenities. The chapter chairman, TPL Adefela Sogbesan, issued the warning on Thursday during the institute’s August monthly general meeting held at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. Sogbesan, who specifically mentioned Ilaro and Ibese communities in Yewa South Local Government Area, said the influx of people into the axis was largely driven by the presence of heavy industries such as Dangote Cement, which has turned the…

A former governorship candidate in Zamfara State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, on Friday narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja. Shinkafi, who confirmed the incident, said he was attacked shortly after observing Juma’at prayers while returning home. According to him, a group of heavily armed, masked men dressed in black intercepted his vehicle and opened fire before fleeing in a black, unmarked Prado Jeep. The politician, who once contested for the Zamfara governorship seat, described the attack as a clear attempt on his life, linking it to his strong position on insecurity…

Comfort Emmanson, the Ibom Air passenger recently in the news over an altercation with a flight attendant, has dismissed reports that she filed a N500 billion lawsuit against the Federal Government and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Emmanson, who was arraigned earlier this year for allegedly attacking a purser on an Ibom Air flight, described the viral reports of a lawsuit as “false and misleading.” Taking to her Instagram story on Saturday, she clarified that while she has not yet instituted any legal action, she would personally inform the public whenever she decides to do so. “I have not…